Oil burning furnace



Sept. 28, 1937. w. c. MCKEowN OIL BURNING FURNAGE Filed Deo. 2, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IMC Sept. 28, 1937. W, MC'KWN 2,094,274

OIL BURNING FURNACE Filed Dec. 2, 1932 s she'ets-sheetlz Sept. 28, 1937. w. c. Mcm-:OWN

OIL BURNING FURNACE Filed Dec. 2, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES Bussum PATENT OFFICE OIL BURNING FURNACE.

Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 645,381

8 Claims.

My invention relates to oil burning furnaces, and more particularly to oil distributing apparatus for such furnaces, especially that type including a rotating atomizer.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an oil-distributing head serving as an atomizer and whereby all possibility of the 4oil becoming ignited within the head is eliminated, said head having its exit or distributer openings so arranged that they cannot become clogged or carbonized due to the fact that the oil is released from the head as it reaches the exterior thereof, in contra-distinction to old methods un-der which the oil is dammed back or trapped against the Wall of the exit openings.

Another object of my invention is to provide an atomizing or distributing head, whereby oil is trajected therefrom in two different planes, and with which head are associated igniting ele- 20` ments; the oil trajected from said head in one of said planes being limited in quantity and traveling in direct contact, at certain points under the revolution of said head, with said igniting elements, and the oil trajected in the other plane being intimately commingled with air and in part coming directly in contact with the igniting devices and in part rst striking the hearth of a furnace and being ricocheted into the sparking or ame area of the igniting elements.

30 Another object of my invention is to provide an oil burning furnace having a rotatable oil-distributing head provided with exit or distributer openings so arranged that the oil leaves said r openings in a higher plane than the air escaping outwardly through said openings with the oil, and wherein the major portion of the oil and air, in commingled form, comes in contact with the hearth short of the burning area, and under 40 ricocheted action again commingles with other portions of the oil in atomized form, or a mixture of oil and air, at or within the burning or llame area. l

A further object of my invention is the production of an oil distributer wherein provision is made for a preliminary distribution of the oil to assure a quicker ignition by direct trajection of the oil, mixed with air, into the area of the spark or iiame of the igniting element or elements.

Y Other objects of my invention are to provide new and novel means for supporting the oil-distributing head and the hearth, and improved means of introducing air to the distributing head, the air being regulated by suitable means readily accessible from the exterior f the iurnace.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and eflicient device for distributing oil to the oil distributing head, and to so commingle air with'the oil that assurance is had of a perfect mixture of oil and air, capable of maintaining a iiame above the hearth in an endless manner within the shell of the furnace so as to thoroughly heat the surrounding space and the dome above the hearth.

With the above and other objects in view to appear hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical vsection through the lower portion of a furnace equipped with my improved oil distributing apparatus, including my new and novel hearth construction; the section being taken tangentially through the Wall of the fuel-distributing head at diametrically opposite points and axially of two exit or fuel-distributing openings therein.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, parts of the furnace being broken away.

- Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, parts of the furnace being broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the oil-distributing head and the central portion of the` support whereby both the oil-l distributing head and the hearth are supported within the furnace; the section being taken tangentially through the wall of the fuel-distributing head at diametrically opposite points and axially of twoexit'or fuel-*distributing openings therein.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 5--5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the hearth of the furnace adjacent the shell or casing thereof.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line '1 -1, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through a portion of the oil-distributing head taken on line 8--8, Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the curb elements mounted on the marginal portion of the hearth.

Reference being had to the drawings in detail, I0 designates the shell of a furnace, which may in some instances serve as the outer shell and in others as the inner shell, depending on the nature, or construction of the furnace'. Disposed centrally within this shell is a support II, which rests uponl the o'or or other foundation of the furnace and sustains the hearth l2. This support is formed of a body portion I3 and suitable supporting legs I4; the body portion comprising a comparatively flat member I5 and a cylindrical member I6. The flat member I5 is of substantially triangular formation in preferred form, and has three depending lugs or bosses II at its three angles through which the upper ends of the supporting legs I4 are passed. l

In order to position the body portion I3 of the support the desired distancefrom the floor or foundation of the furnace, each of the legs I4 has a nut I8 adjustably applied thereto, against which the lower ends of the lugs or bosses I'I bear, and at the upper ends of these legs nuts I9 are applied which secure the flat members I5 in adjusted position. Extending inwardly from the lugs or bosses I'I are webs 26 which serve to strengthen the fiat member I5 of the body portion.

An opening 2l is formed centrally in the flat member I5, and this member is provided with an upstanding flange 22 around said opening, which is encircled by the lower end of the cylindrical member I6.Y Member I8 therefore receives support from the flat member and is retained in position thereon by said upstanding flange.

23 designates an electric motor which is provided with an outstandingl flange 24 at its upper end, by means of which it is fastened to the ilat member I5 of the body portion of the support; suitableV bolts 25 being passed through the said at member and said flange for this purpose. This motor has a portion tting into the central opening 2i of the support and it is provided with an axial boss 26 extending into said opening and into the lower portion of the cylindrical member I6; an annular oil trough 21 being thus provided in the bottom of the cylindrical member I6, which latter serves as an air chamber, as will appear hereinafter.

The support Il, and more particularly the body portion I3 thereof, sustains the hearth I2, and for this purpose the cylindrical member I6 of the support has angular carriers 28 secured thereto which are in the form of L-'shaped straps or'hangers fastened to the cylindrical member I6 by bolts 29V adjustable within vertical Yslots 30 within said cylindrical member so that, if desired, the thickness of the .hearth may be varied, yet the upper surface thereof maintained level with the upper edge of. the cylindrical member I6; or,`,the hearth may be elevated'or lowered with relation to the length of said cylindrical Vmember so that the upper surface of the hearth is above or beneath the upper edge of said cylindrical member, as may be desired.

The supporting legs I4 are ent-ered at their lower ends in sockets 3l", having enlarged lower portions provided with downwardly-facing depressions in which cork or other cushioning or insulating material 32 is placed.

Formed in the peripheral wall of the cylindrical member or air chamber I6 is an air inlet opening 33 having a central hub 34 from which radiate arms 35 whose outer ends are connected to the wall of said air inlet opening. The hub 34 is therefore axially supported within the air inlet opening and the spaces between the arms admit air to the cylindrical member or air chamber. For the purpose of regulating the quantity ofV air admitted through said air Vinlet opening, a flat or disk valve 36 is held in anyv desired spaced relation to the surrounding wall of said opening by means of a screw stem 31 threaded through the hub 34, and for the purpose of adjusting this Valve so as to increase or diminish the supply of air delivered to the air chamber I6, it is provided with a hand or finger hold 38 in the form of a web extending outwardly therefrom.

The attachment of the motor 23 to the flat member I5 of the support results in the closing of the air chamber I6 at its lower end and, if desired, a gasket may be interposed between the flange 24 of said motor and said flat member to render the air chamber air and liquid-tight at this point.

The shaft 39 of the electric motor extends axially through the air chamber I8, and keyed or otherwise secured in any approved manner to the upper extremity of this shaft is an oil atomizing or distributing head 4), which is of frustoconical formation and tapers downwardly, the lower portion thereof extending into the upper portion of the air chamber. The tapering wall 4I of this head is externally enlarged at its upper end to provide a downwardly-facing shoulder 42 slightly spaced fom the upper edge of the wall of the air chamber I6, and between this downwardly-facing shoulder and said upper edge, an asbestos or other suitable filler 43 is arranged. Said ller may, if desired, extend over the inner marginal portion of the hearth proper, especially when the upper surface of such hearth is flush with the upper edge of the cylindrical wall of the air chamber, which is the preferred arrangement, except when vertical adjustment of the hearth is otherwise demanded. IThe said ller serves to prevent the free escape of airV outwardly between the upper end of the wall of the air chamber and the atomizing or distributing head. The upper portion of the atomizing or distributing head overhangs the upper edge of the wall of the air chamber I6 in all instances, and as the upper portion of this wall may be considered as forming part of the hearth, it may be said that the upper portion of the atomizing or distributing head overhangs the hearth and that the hearth has centrally arranged therein an opening or passage, the wall of which is the upperportion of the cylindrical wall of the air chamber I6.

The atomizing or distributing head is hollow and the bottom wall thereof is provided with a comparatively large opening 44 and with an upstanding flange 45 around said opening so as to form an annular internal oil trough 46 at the bottom of said head. The top wall 41 of this head is flat and provided with adepending hub 48, and connecting this hub with the downwardly tapering circular wall 4I are fan blades 49, which serve to draw air into the head and direct the` same outwardly to its peripheral wall. Y V

The upper wall'of the head may be Vprovided with a circular depression 5B, the surrounding wall of which is dovetailed, as at 5I, and in this depression refractory cement or other suitable refractory material 52 may be arranged, it being retained in place by the dovetailed walls of said distributer terminates within the atomizing or distributing head, regardless of whether or not it is positioned within said opening or extends beneath said opening. This primary distributer is in the form of a funnel-like casting fastened to the motor shaft by means of. a key 54, or otherwise, and it comprises'a solid hub portion 55 and an upwardly flaring wall 56. Y

The oil is delivered to said primary distributer by means of a supplyk pipe 51, the oil being delivered therethrough under gravity or pressure, and the upper end of this supply pipe terminates above o-r within said funnel. As` shown in the drawings.this supply pipe is passed through the outstanding flange l24 of the motor, but may be arranged in any other suitable manner to direct the oil into the primary distributer. The atomizing or distributing head 48 being secured to the motor shaft is caused to rotate with said shaft and consequently the fuel supply pipe 51 is directed upwardly through the opening 44 in the bottom of said head, it being a matter of no importance as to how this fuel pipe is brought to said opening since,`in some instances, it may be found desirable rto pass the same through the cylindrical wall of the air chamber i6 instead of through the outstanding flange 2li of, the motor. The upper endof this fuel supply pipe terminates in the form of a goose neck so that its exit opens downwardly into the primary distributer, which is rotated with the motor shaft and in unison with the atomizing o-r distributing head 40 and the wide upper open end of the funnel-like primary distributer is in a plane above the upper edge of the upstanding flange Q surrounding the opening 65 in the bottom of said atomizing or distributing head.

The atomizing or distributing head is provided around its upper` portion, or that portion projecting above the hearth I2, with a circular series of exit or distributing openings 58 which are tangentially arranged in the peripheral or circular wall of said head and also inclined downwardly toward the hearth, and this head is rotated in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The hearth yl2 extends from the atomizing or distributing head 4i! to the shell lil of the furnace, and is preferably formed of wire mesh or other foraminous material supported by the angular carriers or hangers 28 and the shell Ill, and a cementitious or plastic refractory material placed upon said foraminous material, the upper surface of which refractory material, where possible, is preferably level with the upper edge of the cylindrical wall of the air chamber i6. This refractory hearth may be in the form of a concrete-like substance, or any other suitable refractory material may be employed.

The exit or distributing openings 58 are closely spaced apart around the atomizing or distributing head 4i), and associated therewith are initial oil-feed openings 59, somewhat smaller in size than the exit or distributing openings 58 and widely spaced apart in a plane above said last-mentioned openings. The feed openings 59 may be comparatively few in number, four being shown in the drawings., and these, like the exit or distributing openings 58, are tangentially arranged, but horizontally disposed, and thus differ from the exit or distributing openings 58, in that the latter are downwardly directed or inclined toward the hearth. The initial oil-feed openings are therefore parallel with the upper surface of thehearth and they are disposed-:inline with .the spark or arne areas of igniting devices 60, whichare arranged at one or more points; those shown being electrical sparking devices connected with circuit Wires 6i suitably controlled, as is common in oil-burning furnaces of this type. f It may here be stated that suitable current-conducting wires (not shown) are connected to the motor, and the current to the latter controlled in any approved manner.

On the inner surface of the wall of the atomizing or distributing head 40 is a comparatively narrow and `shallow annular groove 62,V with which are connectedA distributer grooves 63 leading'to the initial oil-feeding openings 59, the annular groove 62 being arranged in ay plane above the upper edge of the primary fuel distributer 53.

Extending through the casing of the motor at the upper end thereof is what I term an emergency or surplus drip pipe 64. The upper end of this pipe opens into the annular trough 21 in the bottom of the air chamber i6 and its lower end terminates a suitable distance beneath the outstanding securing ange 24 of said motor so that a receptacle can be suspended therefrom or, if desired, placed underneath the same to receive the oil drippings accumulated in said trough, as will be hereinafter explained.

While I have illustrated the shell of. the furnace as cylindrical in formation, it may be of any other formation. Included in the hearth construction is a curb 65 providing two vertical endless curb faces 66, 61, respectively, and two horizontal ledges 68, 59, respectively, said endless curb faces being disposed in two different vertical planes, and the lower of the two ledges being preferably in a plane beneath that in which the initial oil feed openings 59 in vthe atomizing or distributing head are disposed, and also preferably in a plane beneath the sparking area of the igniting or sparking devices 60. Said curb is disposed between said igniting or sparking devices and the shell of the furnace, said sparking or igniting devices being in close relation to the inner curb face 256. The outer curb surface 61 is provided with vertical grooves which extend upwardly from the lower horizontal ledge 69 and are gradually reduced in depth from their lower ends to their upper; the bottom walls 1| of said grooves being parallel with the lower ledge 69. Grooves V122 are also formed in the ledge 69 and extendfinwardly from the plane of the outer curb surface 68 toward the inner curb surface 69, said grooves being gradually reduced in depth inwardly. This curb 65 is constructed of units 13 of refractory material, which may be exact counterparts and constructed as shown in Fig. 9; said units being arranged both horizontally and vertically and having their meeting faces at corresponding angles so they may be used interchangeably to form the outer curb surface and upper ledge or the inner curb surface and lower ledge. The joints between the units may not, in some cases, be in perfect alinement, but this depends on the size and form of the furnace.

, From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the fuel oil is delivered by suitable means through the supply pipe 51, and from the latter is directed into the primary distributor 53 secured to the motor shaft. When current is supplied to the motor, the shaft thereof is rotated, and with it the funnel-shaped primary distributor 53 and the atomizing or distributing head 4|). Under centrifugal force, the oil delivered into the funnelshaped primary distributer moves upwardly along the upwardly-flaringwall of said distributer and is trajected from the upper edge thereof evenly against the interior surface of the peripheral wall of the atomizing or distributing head 40 beneath the narrow shallow annular groove 62 therein, and as this last-mentioned wall is alsoflared upwardly, the oil travels upwardly under centrifugal force and enters the annular groove 62. The oil retained in saidv annular groove seeks its'course of least resistance, and consequently travels upwardly along and through the distributer grooves B3, and thence outwardly through the comparatively small initial feed openings 59, the oil under centrifugal force being trajected from said feed openings directly into the sparking area of the igniting devices 6D and against the outer curb surface 61. To assure this horizontal distribution of the oil as` it escapes from the initial feed openings 59, the atomizing or distributing head is provided with a bead 'I4 directly above the plane of said feed openings so that the oil Vis trajected outwardly in Contact with the horizontal lower face of said bead, which assures an approximately straight-line course of travel for the oil distributed. Due to the admission of air into the airY chamber and from the latter through the opening 44 into the atomizing or distributing head, the necessary quantity of air is mixed with the oil escaping through the initial feed openings so that a suiicient quantity of Vair is commingled with the oil to sustain combustion. Ignition of this mixture takes place immediately at the curb 65 in the region of the igniting devices, and as the igniting devices are widely spaced apart, the oil in atomized form is delivered against the outer curb surface 6'! and onto the lower horizontal ledge 99 along the regions between the igniting devices. This oil trickles down said outer curb surface and accumulates in the grooves 10 therein, and it also accumulates in the grooves 12 formed in the lower ledge 69. 'Ihe oil thus accumulated becomes ignited due to the fact that the flame adjacent the igniting devices carries along the curb from one igniting device tothe other. Meanwhile, oil will have been trajected through the exit or distributing openings 58, this oil being trajected therefrom with the necessary quantity of air escaping through the lower portions of said openings so as to form a sustaining wall of air underneath the oil distributed from said openings, an initial commingling of'air and oil taking place in the openings and in the course of the two ingredients outwardly therefrom.

Due to the downward inclination of the exit or distributing openings 58, the air and oil is directed toward the hearth in a circular region between the atomizing or distributing head and the curb, and by said hearth is ricocheted in an upward direction toward the igniting devices and the iiame already created by distribution of oil trajected through the initial oil feed openings 59, the contact of the oil and air with the hearth causing a more intimate mixture of both, and in its upward and outward course under ricocheting action being further and more intimately commingled, especially with any oil and air that may be trajected through the comparatively small initial oil feed openings 59.

It may here be stated that a certain quantity of oil and air will escape through'the exit and distributing openings 58 in a substantially horizontal plane, but the major portion of both oil and air will be directed downwardly against the hearth in the manner stated, and when ricocheted will intimately commingle with any oil and air which has managed to traverse a horizontal course inV its escape from the openings 58, thus causing a commingling of oil and air at the curb which will assure maintenance of a readily combustible mixture and an extremely hot flame, completely along Vthe shell of the furnace.

The electricalcircuits depended upon to cause sparking of the electric sparking devices and operation of the motor are, as usual, controlled by a thermostat or stack-stat, and consequently both the motor and the electricalsparking devices cease to operate when the desired degree of heat has been attained. When the temperature lowers within the building or other area to be heated, the thermostat, or stack-stat, as the case may be, reaches a predetermined cooling point, and an electrical circuit is consequently closed to cause the sparking devices to function, and also the motorv to again operate. Controls for this purpose are common and sometimes are in the form of what is termed a stack-stat or stack-control located in the smokestack of the furnace, or a furnace-control or limit-switch placed on the furnace. Any common means for automatically regulating the heat may-therefore be employed, as this forms no part of my invention.

In addition to automatic control for the igniting devices and motor, it is common to employ an electrically-operated valve in connection with the fuel-supply pipe so that flow of oil is shut off when a predetermined high temperature is attained and automatically opened upon reaching a predetermined low temperature, the variations between these temperatures varying, according to desire. These control elements operate in unison with the control devices of the motor and sparking devices so that upon starting of the motor and functioning of the sparking devices, oil will be supplied to the atomizing or distributing head. The oil in atomized form supported by the proper quantity of air will become ignited by the electrical sparking devices, or other approved fuel igniting means, and an endless or circular region of fire or flame created over the hearth inwardly from the shell i9 of the furnace, due to the fact that the flame will spread from one igniting device to the other, or when a single igniting device is employed, the flame will travel in a circular or endless manner in the direction in which the distributing or atomizing head is rotated until a complete endless flame is provided which plays against the shell of the boiler and is directed upwardly toward the dome.

In the event that the controls function properly but the electrical igniting devices fail to spark or arc, or any other'igniting device employed fails to function, the atomized oil will lodge in the series of grooves formed in the curb and when these are lled will overflow onto the hearth, the space above which may be termed the re box, until the stack-stat or other control shuts off, such control being normally arranged so that it will make a complete cycle and automatically shut off or close down, even though no additional heat is generated by failure of the oil to ignite. Under such conditions a considerable portion of oil will have been accumulated on the hearth between the curb and theatomizing or distributing head, and would be liable to cause a more or less dangerous explosion. To avoid this, the ller ring 43 arranged between the overhanging portion of the atomizing or distributing head and the inner marginal portion of the hearth is formed of material that will allow the oil to seep underneath the same and enter the air chamber I6, where it accumulates at the bottom thereof within the annular oil trough 21, from which it escapes through the drip pipe v64. Any oil adhering to the wall of the atomizing or distributing head will, upon stopping of the motor, travel downwardly along the wall of said head and accumulate in the annular trough 46; such oil being utilized when the motor is brought into operation.

It will be apparent from the drawings that the shell of the boiler may be provided with an ashpit opening T5, and door 16, respectively, air being supplied through this opening to the space beneath the hearth 'so that it can be easily drawn into the air opening controlled by the valve 36, it simply being necessary to rotate the valve clockwise for diminishing the supply of air, and counterclockwise for increasing the same.

While the fan blades 49 function to draw air into the air chamber and also to direct the air outwardly toward the distributing openings 58, assisting in furnishing the necessary amount of air to the escaping oil to assure a proper combustible mixture, I particularly desire to stress the fact that the tangential arrangement of the fuel exit or distributing openings 58 and the initial feed openings 59 eliminates' the possibility of said openings becoming clogged or carbonized, since the direction of rotation of said head is such that the circularwall of said head is moving in a direction away from the oil and air mixture trajected through said openings. The leading or forward portions of the walls of said openings are freed of oil under the rotary action of the head, assisted by centrifugal force, in contradistinction to the usual action of the oil, which is dammed back or obstructed in its outward movement when such openings are drilled or otherwise formed radially in the head. This assures a free escape of the mixture of oil and air from the head under rotation of said head, while maintaining the desired trajectory for the mixture with a wide diffusion of oil and air and with full trajection.

It is, of course, understood that the refractory facing or layer applied to the upper side of the atomizing or distributing head may be dispensed with, but the use of such facing will maintain the shaft of the motor in a cool condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An oil burner, comprising a hollow rotatable atomizing head having an upwardly-flaring wall provided internally with an annular groove, exit openings spaced apart in a plane above said groove, distributer grooves connecting said annular groove with said exit openings, means to supply liquid fuel to said annular groove and exit openings, and means to rotate said atomizing head.

2. In an oil burning apparatus, lthe combination with amotor having a shaft extending vertically therefrom, of a hollow atomizing head secured to the upper end of said shaft and having a downwardly-tapering peripheral wall, a top wall and a bottom wall provided with an opening through which said shaft extends, said peripheral wall having oil exit openings, a funnel-shaped distributer secured to said shaft and having its Wide upper end opening into the interior of said atomizing head, and an oil feed pipe extending upwardly through the opening in said bottom wall and having a goose neck at its upper end adapted to deliver oil into said funnel-shaped distributer.

3. An oil burner, comprising a rotatable atomizing head, means to supply liquid fuel to said atomizing head, said atomizing head having means for distributing an initial quantity of oil therefrom and means for distributing a larger quantity of oil in a different plane than the oil initially distributed therefrom, and means to rotate said atomizing head.

4. An oil burner, comprising a hollow rotatable atomizing head, means to supply liquid fuel to said atomizing head, said atomizing head having means to distribute and traject an initial quantity of oil outwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal plane and means for distributing and trajecting a larger quantity of oil in a plane different from that of the initial distribution of oil, and means to rotate said head.

5. An oil burner comprising a hollow rotatable atomizing head having an upwardly-flaring wall provided with exit openings spaced apart and with fluid intercepting means and distributing means extending along said upwardly flaring wall connecting said intercepting means with said exit openings, means to supply liquid fuel to said fluid intercepting means, said distributing means and said exit openings, and means to rotate said head.

6. In an oil burner, the combination with a motor having a shaft extending vertically therefrom, of a hollow atomizing head secured to the upper end of said shaft and having a peripheral wall provided with oil exit openings, a funnelshaped distributer secured to said shaft and having its wide upper end opening into the interior of said atomizing head, and means adapted to deliver oil into said funnel-shaped distributer.

'7. An oil burning apparatus, comprising a hollow rotatable atomizing head having a flaring peripheral wall provided internally with an annular groove, exit openings spaced apart around said wall and spaced from said annular groove and distributer grooves connecting said annular groove with said exit openings, means to supply liquid fuel to said atomizing head, and means to rotate said atomizing head.

8. An oil burning apparatus, comprising a hollow rotatable atomizing head having an upwardly flaring peripheral wall provided with exit openings spaced around said wall and with an internal annular groove having grooved connection with said exit openings, means to supply fuel to said internal annular groove, and means to rotate said atomizing head.

WILLIAM C. McKEOWN. 

